Herb Crêpes with sweet potato, goats cheese and a tomato saffron sauce

Crêpes

Ingredients – serves 4
150g plain flour
1 egg
180ml milk
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
½ tablespoon finely chopped chervil
½ tablespoon finely chopped basil

Method

Sift flour into a large bowl. Combine egg, milk, and grapeseed oil, 90ml water and ¼ teaspoon salt in a separate bowl and whisk well. Make a well in the centre of the flour and slowly add the liquid, whisking until combined, stir through the herbs, transfer to a jug and stand for 30 minutes.

Heat 1- teaspoon of butter in a crepe pan over a medium heat, then pour enough batter to just cover the base of the pan, (pour excess back into jug). Cook crepes for 1 – minutes each side, transfer to a plate, and repeat with remaining mixture.

Sweet potato and goats cheese filling

Ingredients
600g sweet potato, peeled and cut into 2cm pieces
60ml extra virgin olive oil
150g soft goats cheese, crumbled
55g toasted pine nuts

Method

Pre-heat oven to 190°c if using a fan oven follow manufactures instructions/gas 5/375°f
Place the sweet potato on a roasting tray and drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt. Roast for 25 minutes or until soft, cool. Combine the goat’s cheese and season to taste.

Divide sweet potato mixture between 2 crêpes and roll each into a log and wrap tightly in cling film. Refrigerate for 1 hour, remove and cut each into 3 pieces in an upright position on a baking tray, sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Reduce oven - 180°c - if using a fan oven follow manufactures instructions / gas 4/350°f When you have the balsamic mushrooms and sauce ready bake crepes for 10 minutes or until just golden. (See presentation*)

Roasted Balsamic Field Mushrooms – serves 6

Balsamic mushrooms taste good in a salad or used as a stuffing for chicken breast
Ingredients
6 field mushrooms
50ml balsamic vinegar
125ml olive oil
6 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced

Method

Pre-heat oven - 180°c - if using a fan oven follow manufactures instructions / gas 4/350°f
Toss the mushrooms with the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper to taste. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 6 to 8 minutes or until tender, pat dry with pepper towels, slice on the diagonal and keep warm.

Saffron tomato sauce

115g red onion, sliced finely
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
200g peeled seeded and chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
55g chopped sun dried tomatoes
A pinch of saffron threads
125ml passata

Method

Cook the red onions in the vegetable oil over a medium heat for 2 – minutes or until caramelised. Add the tomatoes, passata, sun dried tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. Cook for
10 – minutes then add saffron and cook for 2 – minutes more stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, this sauce can be served as it is but for a finer sauce purée until smooth and pass through a sieve. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

This sauce can also be used for fish or meat dishes and it goes very well with pasta also if you pour the juices from the balsamic mushrooms into the tomato and saffron sauce, it adds a depth of flavour.

Presentation*

Remove crêpes from the oven, place the balsamic mushrooms then the pancakes on four pre-heated dinner plates, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and pour the saffron tomato sauce around, serve immediately.